Fact Sheet ST-104 November 1993

Bursera simaruba Gumbo-Limbo1 Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson2

INTRODUCTION

This large semievergreen , with an open, irregular to rounded crown, may reach 60 feet in height with an equal or wider spread but is usually seen smaller (25 to 40 feet tall and 25 to 30 feet wide) in landscape plantings (Fig. 1). The trunk and branches are thick and are covered with resinous, smooth, peeling coppery bark with an attractive, shiny, freshly-varnished appearance. The tree typically develops from two to four, large-diameter limbs originating close to the ground. A native of south and the tropical offshore islands, the soft, light- weight and easily carved wood of gumbo-limbo was used for making carousel horses before the advent of molded plastics. Figure 1. Mature Gumbo-Limbo. GENERAL INFORMATION Availability: generally available in many areas within Scientific name: simaruba its hardiness range Pronunciation: ber-SER-uh sim-uh-ROO-buh Common name(s): Gumbo-Limbo DESCRIPTION Family: Burseraceae USDA hardiness zones: 10B through 11 (Fig. 2) Height: 25 to 40 feet Origin: native to North America Spread: 25 to 40 feet Uses: large parking lot islands (> 200 square feet in Crown uniformity: irregular outline or silhouette size); wide tree lawns (>6 feet wide); medium-sized Crown shape: round parking lot islands (100-200 square feet in size); Crown density: open medium-sized tree lawns (4-6 feet wide); Growth rate: medium recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or Texture: medium for median strip plantings in the highway; near a deck or patio; shade tree; specimen; residential street tree; tree has been successfully grown in urban areas where air pollution, poor drainage, compacted soil, and/or drought are common

1. This document is adapted from Fact Sheet ST-104, a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: November 1993. 2. Edward F. Gilman, associate professor, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, associate professor, Agricultural Engineering Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611. -- Gumbo-Limbo Page 2

Figure 2. Shaded area represents potential planting range.

Foliage characteristics: does not attract wildlife; inconspicuous and not showy; no significant litter Leaf arrangement: alternate (Fig. 3) problem Leaf type: odd pinnately compound Leaflet margin: entire Trunk and Branches Leaflet shape: elliptic (oval); ovate Leaflet venation: banchidodrome; pinnate Trunk/bark/branches: bark is thin and easily Leaf type and persistence: semievergreen damaged from mechanical impact; droop as the tree Leaflet blade length: 2 to 4 inches grows, and will require pruning for vehicular or Leaf color: green pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy; routinely Fall color: no fall color change grown with, or trainable to be grown with, multiple Fall characteristic: not showy trunks; tree wants to grow with several trunks but can be trained to grow with a single trunk; very showy Flower trunk; no thorns Pruning requirement: needs little pruning to develop Flower color: green a strong structure Flower characteristics: inconspicuous and not Breakage: resistant showy; spring flowering Current year twig color: brown; green; reddish Current year twig thickness: medium; thick Fruit Culture Fruit shape: oval Fruit length: .5 to 1 inch Light requirement: tree grows in part shade/part sun; Fruit covering: fleshy tree grows in full sun Fruit color: red Soil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; acidic; alkaline; well-drained Bursera simaruba -- Gumbo-Limbo Page 3

Gumbo-limbo grows in full sun or partial shade on a wide range of well-drained soils. Tolerant of moderate amounts of salt spray, gumbo-limbo adapts to alkaline or poor, deep white sands but will also grow quickly on more fertile soil. Once established, gumbo-limbo requires little attention other than occasional pruning to remove lower branches which may droop close to the ground.

Gumbo-limbo is ideal for a freestanding specimen on a large property or as a street tree but does need room to grow. Lower branches will grow close to the ground, so street will have to be trained early for proper development. Locate the lowest permanent branch about 15 feet off the ground to provide enough clearance for a street tree planting. Specimen trees are often grown with branches beginning much closer to the ground, providing a beautiful specimen with wonderful bark.

Propagation is by seed which germinates readily if fresh but, most often, gumbo-limbo is propagated by cuttings of any size twig or branch. Huge truncheons Figure 3. Foliage of Gumbo-Limbo. (up to 12 inches in diameter) are planted in the ground where they sprout and grow into a tree. Be sure to properly prune and train a tree grown in this fashion, Drought tolerance: high since many sprouts often develop along the trunk after Aerosol salt tolerance: high planting. A tree left to grow in this manner usually develops weak branches which may fall from the tree Other as it grows older. Space major branches out along the main trunk to create a strong tree. It is probably best Roots: surface roots can lift sidewalks or interfere to plant seed-grown trees or those propagated from with mowing smaller, more traditionally-sized cuttings. Winter interest: tree has winter interest due to unusual form, nice persistent , showy winter Pests and Diseases trunk, or winter flowers Outstanding tree: tree has outstanding ornamental No pests or diseases are of major concern. features and could be planted more Occasionally caterpillars will chew the leaves, but Invasive potential: little, if any, potential at this time rarely damage enough to warrant control. Pest resistance: no pests are normally seen on the tree

USE AND MANAGEMENT

Although growth rate is rapid and wood is soft, gumbo-limbo trees have great resistance to strong winds, drought, and neglect. Drought avoidance is accomplished by leaf drop and growth is often best in drier locations not receiving irrigation. The inconspicuous flowers are followed by red, three-sided berries which split into three sections at maturity to reveal a 1/4-inch triangular red seed. The fruit takes a year to ripen and matures in early summer.